It's Friday, and a beautiful fall weekend awaits. But first, here's the news.

McLaren's first-ever press conference as a standalone carmaker was a memorable one. It unveiled the P1 supercar, which joins the MP4-12C in the McLaren lineup. It also succeeds the legendary F1, which held the claim to fastest production car during its six-year production run in the 1990s. The design by Frank Stephenson puts aerodynamics and light weight center stage. The P1 is built largely of carbon fiber, with its monocoque and all of its body panels made from the material. Out back is a large wing that adjusts for downforce and aero, and ducts are tucked all around to help the car cut through the air. Powertrain details have not yet been confirmed, but we expect it will run an upgraded version of the MP4-12C's twin-turbo V8, with power reaching upwards of 800 hp.

And, while Ferrari displayed its entire lineup to the Paris motor show, it was the non-car that grabbed the most attention. The bare carbon-fiber chassis is set to underpin the F70, the successor to the Enzo and a car which Ferrari calls a limited-edition new hybrid model. Ferrari claims the tub was created using techniques borrowed from its Formula 1 prowess, and that the chassis is 20 percent lighter than the Enzo's. Ferrari showed the F70's 12-cylinder engine last year, but there's still no word on when the Enzo successor will be produced.

Maserati has long toyed with the idea of building an SUV, and last year showed off a concept called the Kubang. Well, we now know that Maserati's first SUV will be called the Levante. The Levante is set to debut in 2014 and will be produced in Detroit at the same plant that builds the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Maserati says the name Levante means "east" in Italian, in a nod to the automaker's history. In 1919, the Maserati brothers moved their five-year-old company to a bigger facility on Via Emilia Levante in Bologna. Maserati plans to build up to 25,000 Levantes a year.

Finally, we're sad to announce the passing of legendary motorsports journalist, Chris Economaki. The Brooklyn-born Economaki will forever be tied to the National Speed Sport News, where, as a 13-year-old, he began delivering and hawking it at race tracks. He later became correspondent, then editor in 1950, and later publisher and part owner. He also worked with ABC's Wide World of Sports and with CBS and ESPN. It can be said he was one of the catalysts in bringing television to racing. Economaki died late Thursday night. He was 91.

That's the news for now. And for more on that Ferarri tub, check out autoweek.com for a cool video of one being built, and other related videos. You can also get a recap of everything from the Paris Motor Show.